The Leading Independent
Resource for Top-tier MBA
Candidates

Recent News

Published: November 25, 2024
Real Humans of MBA Students: The UCLA Anderson Class of 2026
Get to know some new UCLA Anderson School of Management MBA students in the latest edition of our ongoing series, Real Humans: MBA Students. The UCLA Anderson MBA Class of 2026 is a dynamic group of individuals from around the world, united by their drive to excel, their passion for innovation, and their commitment to collaboration. With diverse career backgrounds, unique personal stories, and bold aspirations, these students embody Anderson’s values of Share Success and Think Fearlessly. Take Brianna Rodriguez, a former teacher and college counselor who spent nearly a decade fostering college access Read more
Published: November 24, 2024
Duke Fuqua MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
It was a 45 minute virtual interview and the interviewer only had my resume. Started the interview talking about interests (one we happen to have in common) for about 10 minutes. Then he asked about why MBA and why now. Then 3-4 behavioral interviews, nothing out of the ordinary (Leadership example, conflict resolution, teamwork). We ended the conversation with back and forth questions about the program and their experience going through it. Overall, it was a really conversational interview. It definitely felt like Fuqua makes an effort to really get to know you in a personal level, at least that Read more
Published: November 24, 2024
The Week Ahead: LBS Decisions & Michigan Broad Deadline, November 25-29, 2024
Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! LBS Decisions & A Round 2 Deadline The 2024-2025 MBA admissions season is now underway. Interview invites continue to roll out, and a few final decisions are continuing to be released.  Monday, November 25, Michigan State / Broad has its Round 2 application deadline. Thursday, November 28, London Business School is scheduled to release their Round 1 decisions. How “The Wires” Can Help Visit MBA LiveWire for the latest “buzz” about MBA admissions, including interview invitations Read more
Published: November 24, 2024
MBA Wire Taps 397—American applying to European MBAs. Family business candidate. Three offers, accept or reapply.
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the activity of MBA LiveWire; a few MBA programs are still rolling out Round 1 interview invites; several candidates are eager to hear from Northwestern / Kellogg and Stanford. Upcoming this week, London Business School is scheduled to release its Round 1 decisions, and Michigan State / Broad has its Round 2 deadline. Graham highlighted the upcoming webinar series for Masters in Management programs, which are held on December 3rd and 4th, and includes Chicago / Booth, Georgetown / McDonough, Michigan / Ross, Read more
Published: November 21, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Five Tips for Making the Best of the MBA Waitlist
Being placed on an MBA waitlist puts applicants in a challenging limbo state. While it’s disappointing not to get a “yes,” many applicants are glad that they’re still in the game. To make the best of the situation, you’ll need to know how to play it. In this admissions tip, we offer guidance for waitlisted candidates – and some context on why schools use a waitlist in the first place. Why Schools Use the Waitlist First and foremost, while schools now know the quality of their Round 1 pool, they don’t yet know how strong the remainder of their applicants Read more
Published: November 20, 2024
UVA Darden MBA Employment Report Class of 2024
The University of Virginia Darden School of Business MBA Class of 2024 have achieved impressive career outcomes in the face of rapid global change. The drive and resilience of the graduating class are evident in the recently released employment report, which shows MBA graduates from UVA Darden maintained a four-year high median salary of $175,000. The average starting salary for the whole class is $163,710, representing an increase in average salaries of 17 percent since 2020. The average signing bonus this year landed Read more
Published: November 20, 2024
Real Humans of University of Washington Foster MBA Class of 2026
We head to Seattle, Washington, for this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students to meet some new members of the University of Washington Foster School of Business MBA Class of 2026. The Washington Foster MBA Class of 2026 is a cohort brimming with diverse backgrounds, skills, and ambitions, all drawn together by Foster’s tight-knit community. 118 students matriculated at the business school in the heart of Seattle’s tech and innovation hub this fall. Thirty-two percent are women and 46 percent are international students. Fifty-nine percent of U.S. students identify as students of color while Read more
Published: November 19, 2024
UCLA Anderson MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
Interview was really informal and conversational. Structure: Introduce yourself. Why MBA? Why now? Why Anderson? How will you be immersed as an Anderson student? What are your career goals? How is Anderson going to help you get there? What are your back-up plans if you can’t get the first choice job? Tell me about a time you led a team and faced a challenge. It was conversational between the questions sharing stories and laughing. Very comfortable and my interviewer was really attentive with great follow up questions. Left time for questions at Read more
Published: November 19, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Making Your List of Business Schools
You’ve decided the MBA is the next stop on your career path. What now? The smartest applicants are those who take the time to create an informed MBA application strategy—a well thought-out game plan that can help you obtain your goals as effectively as possible. This includes making a list of your target business schools. One of the first tasks you’ll need to tackle is school selection: strategically choosing which schools to apply to, while considering how your experience and stats compare to those of current students (or, how “competitive” your application will be at each program). How many MBA Read more
Published: November 19, 2024
MBA Admissions Tip: Business School Recommendation Letters & Writers
Your letters of recommendation are a critical variable in the business school admissions equation. They allow the MBA admissions committee to get an outside perspective on your skills and strength, and to learn about your work experience beyond that’s covered in your essays and resume. Who Should Write my Business School Letters of Recommendation? First, your recommenders should hold a position that is senior to yours – unless the school specifically asks for a peer recommendation. The adcom gives greater weight to statements made by your superiors rather than by a peer because a peer is assumed to be essentially Read more
Published: November 18, 2024
Real Humans of the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School MBA Class of 2026
The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Carey Business School MBA Class of 2026 students hail from diverse fields including healthcare, technology, engineering, and social impact. Sixty-three students matriculated to be part of the JHU Carey class this fall. Just shy of 59 percent of the class are women and 76 percent of U.S. students identify as a minority. Meanwhile, 60 percent of the new class are international. Students’ average undergraduate GPA was 3.42. Nearly 64 percent earned degrees in a STEM discipline. Roughly 21 percent had majored in law, government, social sciences or humanities. Sixteen percent pursued business, Read more
Published: November 17, 2024
Webinar: AMA with Tepper School Part-Time MSBA Students – December 2024
Are you thinking about advancing your career with a Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) but uncertain about what lies ahead? Join our AMA (Ask Me Anything) session with current part-time MSBA students from the Tepper School of Business! Get the inside scoop on balancing a career while pursuing this top-ranked degree. During this interactive session, our students will offer firsthand insights into the Tepper School experience — how the cutting-edge business analytics curriculum has helped them thrive, what it’s like to be part of a tight-knit, collaborative community, and how the Tepper School’s world-class career resources are Read more
Published: November 17, 2024
NYU Stern MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Virtual
With an AdCom member, they were very familiar with my application and resume, and incredibly friendly. Started with a friendly Q about my Pick 6. Other Questions – How did you get your current job? – What are some recruiting resources at Stern you’d use? – What are some companies you’d target for an internship / FT role? – Why did you decide to go into apps & apps marketing and why do you want to switch to CPG marketing? – When was a time you had to convince people to get behind an idea? Read more
Published: November 17, 2024
UVA Darden MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom
It was a very friendly interview that lasted about 40 minutes. 1. She walked me through how the interview is structured. 2. Started with my 5-10 minutes narrative on “tell me about yourself.” 3. She asked some follow-up questions: – Why do you want to go into that industry? – Why Darden? – Tell me about a challenge you had professionally and what you did to overcome it. 4. Wrap up with some questions from my end – I asked two questions. No curveball questions. Again, very friendly so I was a bit nervous Read more
Published: November 17, 2024
MIT Sloan MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
Interview conducted by an adcom member, seemed to be application based. DEI Essay, what motivated you to do this? Tell me about a time you showed leadership. Tell me about a time you were overwhelmed with work – this one was a bit of a curveball for me. Tell me about a time someone changed your perspective on something. Why MBA and why Sloan? Gave me her email at the end, generally very kind, DEI focused interview. Read more
Published: November 17, 2024
Berkeley Haas MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Zoom
My interview lasted 40mins and was conducted with a Haas alumnus via Zoom. It was very structured for the first 30mins, before 10mins of conversational Q&A. As with all Berkeley Haas interviews, it was predominantly structured around the following 5 areas: – Why do you want and MBA, and why Haas specifically? – DEI: What does DEI mean to you and how will you bring this with you into your Haas MBA? – Culture: What is greatest professional risk you’ve taken; how did you approach it and what was the outcome? – Leadership: Tell me about a Read more
Published: November 17, 2024
The Week Ahead: MBA Admissions Decisions, November 18-22, 2024
Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Round 1 Decisions  The 2024-2025 MBA admissions season is now underway. Interview invites continue to roll out, and a few final decisions are continuing to be released. Monday, November 18, IESE is scheduled to release its Round 1 decisions. Friday, November 22, SMU / Cox, Georgia Tech / Scheller and Imperial College are scheduled to release their Round 1 decisions. Have you had any MBA admissions interviews? Share your interview reports with fellow applicants Read more
Published: November 17, 2024
MBA Wire Taps 396—Reapplicant from India. Deferred candidate, 340 GRE. Auditor, 4.0 GPA
Weekly Roundup for Clear Admit’s MBA Podcast In this week’s MBA Admissions podcast we began by discussing the activity of MBA LiveWire; Duke / Fuqua released its Round 1 interview invites last week, along with other programs that continue to roll out these decisions. Upcoming this week, IESE, SMU / Cox, Georgia Tech / Scheller and Imperial College are scheduled to release their Round 1 decisions. Graham highlighted the upcoming webinar series for Masters in Management programs, which begins on December 3, and includes Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta and Notre Dame / Mendoza. Signups are here: https://bit.ly/camim24 Read more
Published: November 14, 2024
UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
R1 Interview held by Adcom. Short (30 Mins) and conversational experience and the interviewer was very affable. The interviewer was familiar with my application, so the interview started with a question on the same note that since they were familiar with my resume and work experience, why did I choose my undergrad major and my career path, what was the thought process behind my journey till now. This transitioned to why MBA and why now which led to why UNC. Then, the behavioral session began with how would your manager describe your leadership style? This led to a question on Read more
Published: November 14, 2024
UVA Darden MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / Virtual
Interview went well and my interviewer was a current 2nd-year international student; Blind interview with only resume. Below, I have included key questions that we touched on. One thing to note that I didn’t see in a lot of the other Owen interview reports was that the interviewer wanted me to really dig into the DEI question. Also, you may need to reiterate specific talking points in future questions, so make sure you’re prepared for that. Walk me through your resume. Why do you want to do an MBA? Why Now? What are your short-term and long-term goals? Why Owen? Read more
Published: November 14, 2024
Episode 395: Insights into the Georgetown McDonough Flex MBA Online
Sponsored Content In this episode of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast, we dig into the Georgetown McDonough Flex MBA Online, addressing its structure, student experience, and unique advantages. The McDonough Flex MBA Online is a part-time program, now offered in either an in-person or online format. It is designed to be flexible, as candidates can complete the program over the course of 24 to 60 months. Anne Kilby Joining host Graham Richmond, two special guests from the McDonough community shed light on myriad facets of the online MBA. We welcome Anne Kilby, who serves as Associate Dean Read more
Published: November 14, 2024
Real Humans of SMU Cox School of Business MBA Class of 2026
The SMU Cox School of Business stands out as a dynamic hub for aspiring professionals seeking to advance their careers through a well-rounded MBA experience. Located in Dallas, Texas, SMU Cox offers students an enriching educational journey, bolstered by a supportive community, a powerful alumni network, and a strong connection to the local business landscape. In this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students, we hear directly from new members of the SMU Cox community. But, first, let’s take a look at the class profile for the MBA Class of 2026. Eighty-five students matriculated to be part of Read more
Published: November 13, 2024
Real Humans Profile: The Columbia Business School MBA Class of 2026
The newest Columbia Business School (CBS) MBA class brings together a uniquely talented and diverse group, showcasing the program’s dynamic class profile and the global appeal of CBS’s curriculum and culture. From former professional athletes and tech innovators to passionate entrepreneurs and advocates of social impact, each student brings a wealth of experience and perspective, making CBS a vibrant hub for future leaders–and we meet some of them in this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students. But first, let’s take a look at the class profile stats for the 972 students who matriculated at Read more
Published: November 13, 2024
Round 2 MBA Application Deadlines 2024-2025
To help you stay organized, we’ve compiled all of the Round 2 MBA application deadlines (and some Round 3 ones) all in one place. You’ll find links to our corresponding Essay Topic Analysis in the “Essay Analysis” column. School Deadline Decision Essay Analysis Application Live? INSEAD (R2 August Intake) 11/5/2024 1/10/2025 Yes Yes Michigan State Broad 11/15/2024 1/31/2025 Yes Yes Minnesota Carlson 12/1/2024 2/1/2025 Yes Yes Indian School of Business Read more
Published: November 12, 2024
MIT Sloan MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Zoom
Via Zoom – a link was sent once I booked my time Atmosphere was very straightforward, with a specific list of questions to get through AdCom stated that she had read through my resume and was well-versed, wanted to focus on behavioral questions. Don’t think the questions were tailored to my resume / experience at all, just the same questions for every applicant imo. What’s an example of when you went against the status quo? TMAT you led a project with team members you don’t have direct report superiority over. How did you lead the project? Why MBA and Read more

MBA Applywire

9
November 26, 2024 12:03am ET
Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Columbia, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, Stanford GSB, U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton, Yale SOM
Pre-MBA Career: Government Affairs at technology startup
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology Companies: Bain , BCG , McKinsey , Amazon , Apple , Facebook , Google , LinkedIn , Microsoft , Tesla , Uber
GMAT: 770
GPA: 3.4
Years of Work Experience: 3
6
November 25, 2024 11:01am ET
Applying: Arizona State / W.P. Carey, Georgetown / McDonough, Indiana / Kelley, U. Washington / Foster, UCLA Anderson, USC / Marshall
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Military: Acquisition Program Manager
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Technology Companies: Accenture , Bain , Deloitte , McKinsey , Amazon , Apple , Facebook , Google , IBM , Lenova , LinkedIn , Microsoft , Oracle
GRE: 317
GPA: 2.43
Years of Work Experience: 9
Location: Los Angeles
Post MBA Location: West Coast
Notes:

Undergrad was at a Service Academy. Also earned a Masters of Science with a GPA of 4.0, Project Management Professional certification holder, and volunteered for two years at service to schools helping veterans get into an undergraduate program.
2
November 25, 2024 7:58am ET
Applying: Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB
Pre-MBA Career: Equity Research at Goldman Sachs, and long only Asset Management (healthcare sector)
Post-MBA Target Industry: Asset Management, inc. HF Companies: Fidelity
GMAT: 735
GPA: 3.6
Years of Work Experience: 5
Location: San Francisco CA
Post MBA Location: San Francisco CA
Notes:

I took a gap year in college and switched majors taking longer to graduate so I’m 30, would matriculate at 32 and graduate at 34. Seems like I’m an outlier and worried I’m too old.
9
November 25, 2024 7:56am ET
Applying: Columbia, Dartmouth / Tuck, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, Harvard Business School, Northwestern / Kellogg, U. Chicago Booth, Vanderbilt / Owen, Yale SOM
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Data Analytics
Post-MBA Target Industry: Consulting, Investment Banking, Non Profit/SI Companies: McKinsey , JP Morgan
GRE: 336
GPA: 3.27
Years of Work Experience: 8
Location: Nashville
Notes:

I have varied and deep experience in community organizing, leading several notable local organizations. Also have recommendations from
4
November 24, 2024 11:35pm ET
Applying: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, MIT Sloan, U. Washington / Foster, UT Austin / McCombs
Intake Year: 2025
Pre-MBA Career: Sales Engineer
Post-MBA Target Industry: Technology Companies: Microsoft , Other
GMAT: 715
GPA: 3.0
Years of Work Experience: 5
View or Submit Entries

MBA LiveWire

November 26, 2024 8:27am ET
Accepted to London Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GPA: 3.84
GRE: 327
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: United States
November 26, 2024 8:18am ET
Accepted to London Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GPA: 3.4
GRE: 330
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: US
November 26, 2024 7:40am ET
Accepted to London Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GRE: 331
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Technology
Application Location: Philippines
November 26, 2024 7:27am ET
Accepted to London Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via email November 26, 2024
GMAT: 675
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Target Career: Consulting
Application Location: India
November 25, 2024 7:32pm ET
Interview Invite to NYU Stern
Round: Round 2
Received via email November 25, 2024
GPA: 3.9
GMAT: 695
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Application Location: United States
View or Submit Entries
Live
Wire